Final bow

The final day’s shows at the HDIL India Couture Week in Mumbai reclaimed the runway for couture

When Arjun Khanna zoomed onto the runway on his vintage Ariel to take the final bow,he could be forgiven for showing off. The couturier took menswear to another level on the final day of the Week with his collection inspired by the Victorian age,when men were explorers,hunters,and tamers of wild beasts. The designer brought the era to the ramp with a breathtaking set,created using furniture,books,lamps and sundry other items from a Victorian gentleman’s smoking room. But it wasn’t all show and no substance — the clothes revealed Khanna’s mastery over tailoring and ability to innovate. Biker jackets were elongated to form elaborately embroidered achkans,velvet smoking jackets were paired with distressed leather bags,and perfectly cut jodhpurs were teamed with racing caps and whips. The show was a successful debut for Khanna on the couture week runway; the only judgement of his that we would question is the decision to get actor Abhay Deol as his showstopper for a collection that was meant to be for the alpha male.

The grand finale show,trumpeted as Shahab Durazi’s return to the ramp,lived up to the hype as the couturier showed an impeccable line of evening wear for women. The clothes were largely inspired by the 1920s and featured plenty of sleek gowns and pant suits with feathers,bows and fringes — we especially loved the fringe-hemmed pants. There were a few garments that felt repetitive — Durazi has done the black and white stripes before — and the collection could have done with some editing. But when the designer came to take his quick,modest bow at the end,he deserved the applause he got for putting up an elegant,glamorous look that was elaborate without being fussy.